This is the area that I live in. Every bridge has the expansion/contraction steel plates across them.

Here is a tip for those that come up in my neck of the woods:

For bridges in the Northwest: Close your throttle when crossing and try not to change lanes or steer too erratic and you will get across them smooth like.

For rain grooves: Let the bike drive the grooves, don’t fight the bike. It will feel like you have a flat tire, but you will do fine.

Good luck and ride safe.

 

Those are scary. I have seen those run parallel to the road. Makin diamonds with my ****.

 

Yes, we have what they called 'test patches' of them. You will be riding along just fine & hit these snake groves from hell. Don't like the way the ride feels at all.
But not as bad as leaving for work at 4:00 a.m. on the same stretch of road you always take, no moon, no other people, nothing but trees, hills, etc.. & hitting a highway scar left by trailer hauling a house that lost a tire & the trailer gouged out a wobbly block long groove. Not fun in the dark, feeling like your bike wants to buck you off at 65 mph.

 

Agree with the OP. Hate rain grooves. The wider the m/c tire the better. Used to ride a more narrow width tire, definitely uncomfortable.

Manhole covers and rain grates are worse, but those grooves suck, too.

 

Not al steel decking is the same. Some of the steel deck bridges in NH have varrying deck types. As you ride the width and pattern of the grooves changes. The longest one with variable decking is the Route 1 bridge between Portsmouth NH and Kittery ME.

 

I agree with ChalieBox, don't fight the bike.

 

The longer you ride the less things like that will bother you.

 

There are definately cattle catchers in areas around Dallas and they certainly crank up the pucker factor. As for rain grooves, we certainly have a few here in Plano and many more on roads north of here. What sucks worse is pavement they are preparing for a new layer of asphalt. That really makes my tire swim since they don't even attempt to make those lines straight.

 

No issues whatsoever since the addition of Metzler ME880 tires...Problem solved!

 

I concur wholeheartedly with that! My first introduction to rain grooves at highway speed scared the living gedabbers out of me! And I was stuck in the passing lane with an uneven elevation to get to the next lane, which I decided not to change lanes...to make matters even more fun this was in 30 mph crosswinds! Fortunately they only lasted for couple of miles or so, and all was well...coming back I was expecting them and I handled it better. Now, I don't worry about them a whole lot....the bike will do it's thing as long as I don't do anything sudden and stupid. Cattle guards aren't that much of a problem as long as I take them straight across.

Teek